Association of Jewish Libraries Publishing

Lazinger, Susan S.

Kahane, Libby

REFERENCE DEPARTMENT 
Israel Reference Works on Microfiche 
Libby Kahane 
The use of microfiche as a medium for 
reference sources, is a relatively new 
phenomenon in Israel, Some are produced 
from computer tapes, and coincide with 
the growing use of computers for the-
maintenance of data bases; others are 
simply photocopies of existing material. 
Union List of Serials 
The first computer-output microfiche 
(COM) produced in Israel, the Union List of 
Serials in Israel Libraries, also called ULS-
lsrae/, has been available on microfiche 
since 1980; however, only since its edition, 
dated May 1, 1984, includes a Hebrew 
section. Its Hebrew acronym, RAMKI, 
stands for Reshimah Me 'uhedet she/ Kitve-
et be-sifriyot Yisrael. ULS-Jsrael will be of 
interest to Judaica librarians not only for 
the Hebrew titles, but also for the vast 
number of Judaica titles in other 
languages, among them many little-known 
periodicals and "one-time" newspapers. 
Each entry in ULS-lsrae/ gives complete 
bibliographic data, including title changes, 
sponsoring bodies, and holdings in each of 
the more than 150 participating libraries. 
The International Standard Se.rial Number 
(ISSN) is given for each Israeli periodical. 
The department of the Jewish National and 
University Library which issues ULS-lsrael 
is the official ISSN agency in Israel, 
responsible for assigning all ISSNs to 
serials published in this country. The 
microfiche set consists of a main section of 
titles, cataloged according to AACR2 rules, 
with an index of names of sponsoring 
bodies and a list of participating libraries. 
There are 5 Hebrew fiche and 36 Latin-
character fiche in the edition dated March 
1, 1985, representing about 70,000 titles. 
An accompanying 20-page booklet 
includes a User Guide and a list of library 
codes and addresses in Hebrew and 
English. 
Index to Hebrew Periodicals 
Another computer-produced reference 
source on microfiche which, like ULS-
/srael, originally appeared in book form, is 
Mafteah le-kitve-et be-ivrit (Index to 
Hebrew periodicals). Unlike ULS-lsrael, 
Jewish National and University Library 
Jerusalem, Israel 
Mafteah continues to be published in book 
form as well. Volumes for 1982 and 1983 
have appeared. Mafteah first appeared on 
microfiche in 1982, in two parts. The first 
part is a cumulation, in one alphabetical 
sequence, of the volumes which appeared 
from 1977 to 1981. The second part is a 
periodically updated cumulation 
beginning from 1982. A thesaurus of ii::idex 
terms is also available on microfiche, but is 
not necessary for ordinary searches, as the 
body of the Mafteah includes a multitude of 
cross references. The team of librarians at 
the University of Haifa who compile it have 
made the Mafteah an important source of 
current information on a wide variety of 
subjects, including literary criticism, 
current events, medicine, and art. Mafteah 
indexes over 200 Hebrew periodicals, how-
ever, it does not index articles in 
newspapers and, until recently, there was 
no index to the daily press in Israel. (See 
Avraham Greenbaum's detailed analysis of 
Index to Hebrew periodicals in Judaica 
Librarianship, Vol. 1 No. 1, p. 34-35. - Ed.) 
Catalog of Articles from the 
Hebrew Press 
The daily newspaper Ha-Aretz published 
two volumes which have served as indexes 
to important events for the years 1948 to 
1963. The first, "Eser ha-shanim ha-
rishonot; yoman me'ora'ot yisrael," was 
published in 1958. The second, "195"8-
1961; yoman eru'e shelosh ha-shanim," 
was published in 1961. 
To fill the gap in coverage of newspapers, 
an index entitled Katalog analiti selektivi le-
ma'amarim meha-itonut ha-yomit ha-ivrit 
im mafteah kumulativi, began publication 
in 1981. Roughly translated, the title is: 
"Analytic selective catalog of articles from 
the Hebrew daily press, with cumulative 
index." 
The Katalog is the result of the work of 
Ya'akov Fitzer who, in 1969, began to 
compile a card file of important articles 
from the daily press and from selected 
periodicals. The library of the regional 
college at Tel-Hai in the Upper Galilee 
undertook the project of preparing and 
distributing the card file on microfiche. 
Typed catalog cards, arranged alpha-
108 Judaica Librarianship Vol.1 No. 2 Spring 1984 
betically by subject heading, are 
reproduced on the fiche-260 cards on 
each. 
The first set of the Katalog, covering the 
years 1969 to 1980, consists of 233 fiche, 
with a separate fiche index of subject 
headings, including cross references. 
Annual supplements (three to date) 
continue the consecutive numbering of the 
microfiche. Each supplement is accom-
panied by a cumulated index of subject 
headings. 
An important function of the subject 
headings index is that it indicates not only 
fiche number, but also column and row 
number. Pinpointing the· exact location is 
extremely helpful, because the alpha-
betical arrangement of the subject 
headings on each fiche is not ,immediately 
apparent, given the arrangement of the 
cards in several horizontal groups rather 
than in one consecutive column. Another 
function of the index is to facilitate retrieval 
of articles on a given subject in all of the 
annual supplements. It is therefore 
important to consult the index before each 
search. 
The Katalog, which covered selected 
periodicals, as well as newspapers, from 
1969 to 1980, complements the Mafteah, 
which began publication only in 1977. 
Thus the Katalog fiifs a gap in Hebrew 
periodical indexing as well as presenting 
references to newspaper articles on a wide 
range of subjects, such as urban renewal, 
motion pictures and current events. The 
subject of literature, however, is given only 
slight coverage, as it was planned as a 
separate section. Currently in the final 
stages of preparation, this section, entitled 
"Sofrim vi-yetsirotehem" (Writers and their 
works), is to be ready in June, 1985 and will 
cover the years 1969 through 1984. 
Central Lexicon of Israel 
Another index to the Hebrew daily press, 
which was short-lived, is the Leksikon 
merkazi Je;..yisrael. This may be translated 
as "Central Lexicon of Israel." It was 
conceived of by Shmuel Shihor as a 
continuously updated encyclopedic data 
bank of Israeli current events. Shihor was 
head archivist of. the daily newspaper Ha-
Aretz for many years, until his death in 
October, 1982. (He also worked on its 
index.) In June, 1983asetof 14microfiche 
produced from computer tapes was issued 
by his widow, Dr. Rachel Shihor, and the 
publishing firm Lewin-Epstein-Madan. 
The Leksikon has two parts. The main part, 
"Historiyografiyah: homer shotef" (Current 
history) is arranged alphabetically by 
subject. Each entry consists of a synopsis 
of the news item, fol lowed by the date on 
which it appeared in the press. The name of 
a specific newspaper is not indicated 
unless the item appeared in only one 
newspaper. 
The second part is called "Reshimat 
ha'arakhim veha-hafnayot" (List of entries 
and references). This part serves both as 
an index to the main part and as an index to 
a number of existing reference books, such 
as the Encyclopaedia Hebraica. For 
example, the name "Abu, Solomon" 
appears with an asterisk, indicating that 
there is an entry under his name in the 
Current History section, while Ahad Ha-
Am appears with a reference to volume and 
page in the Encyclopaedia Hebraica. 
These additional references were designed 
to round out the contents of a central data 
bank of all Israel-related information. 
Although this ambitious project has been 
discontinued, the Leksikon can serve as a 
comprehensive index to the daily press for 
the period between August 1, 1981 and 
March 31, 1983. Unlike the Katalog, which 
is selective, the Leksikon includes all news 
items and articles. For example, in the 
Leksikon there are ten entries between 
September 7, 1982 and January 18, 1983 
about Solomon Abu, who was accused of 
murdering Shem-Tov Mizrahi. In the 
Katalog, Solomon Abu is not listed at all. 
Jerusalem Post Clippings Archive 
Yet another newspaper-oriented micro-
fiche tool is the Jerusalem Post Clippings 
Archive product called Prominent People, 
1933-1977. This presents, on 1,929 fiche, 
reproductions of entire articles and news 
items as they appeared in the Jerusalem 
Post. The clippings are dated, and 
arranged alphabetically under the names 
of each of 535 "prominent people." Only 
persons about whom there have been a 
number of articles or lilews items are 
included. For example, there are 20 fiche 
devoted to Abba Eban and 9 to Adolph 
Eichmann. There are no obituaries or news 
items concerning lesser-known people, as 
in the Leksikon. 
An unexpected feature is the appearance 
of the names of staff members of the Post 
among the "prominent people." For 
example, all the articles by Eric Silver, 
London correspondent, appear between 
articles on Abba Hillel Silver, American 
Zionist leader, and on George Singer, 
Conductor of the Israel Philharmonic 
Orchestra. This is apparently a result of 
filming the clippings file straight through, 
without editing out the files of staff 
members. Admittedly, the latter may have 
been difficult to accomplish, as several of 
the by-line names are also the subjects of 
articles. 
Prominent People was prepared and 
distributed by the Inter Documentation 
Company (IDC) of Zug, Switzerland. The 
quality of their work is good, but could not 
compensate for the deteriorated condition 
of some of the older clippings. 
Jewish National Library Catalogs 
IDC was also responsible for the prepara-
tion of the microfiche of the Judaica 
classified catalog of the Jewish National 
and University Library (JNUL) in 
Jerusalem. It is arranged by the Scholem 
classification scheme, a modified version 
of the Dewey Decimal System, and is 
accompanied by a printed index to the 
scheme. It lists about 300,000 publications, 
which represent 85 percent of all 
publications ever printed in Hebrew and 80 
percent of material in other languages. As 
the catalog of the largest Judaica 
collection in the world, this set of 
microfiche is a valuable finding tool and an 
excellent source for bibliographic data. 
Those who do not need the entire set may 
order specific subject sections, such as 
Bible, Jewish history, Jewish biography 
and Palestine-State of Israel. 
The alphabetical catalog of the Jewish 
National and University Library is also 
available on microfiche from IDC. It has 
five alphabets which can be ordered as 
separate items. The Hebrew section is 
arranged by author and title in one 
alphabet, as is the Yiddish section. The 
Arabic section consists of separate author 
and title alphabets. The Latin character 
section and the Cyrillic character section, 
which include a great deal of rare Judaica, 
have authors and titles in one alphabet; 
however, until 1970, title cards were 
prepared for main entries only. 
IDC has also produced microfiche 
indexes to the manuscript and archival 
collections of the Jewish National and 
University Library, and microfiche 
inventories of a number of archives at the 
Central Zionist Archives and the Israel 
State Archives, as w~II as microfiche 
editions of many out-of-print Judaica 
books and periodicals. Their catalog, 
"Jewish studies; research collections on 
microform," can be requested from the 
company. 
The microfiche reference works discussed 
have been a boon to Judaica librarians. 
There now exist indexes to articles in 
Israeli newspapers and periodicals. 
Furthermore, the microform medium has 
made available materials which were not 
suitable for publication in hard copy. Now, 
without adding to their already over-
crowded shelves, Judaica librarians 
throughout the world can enrich their 
collections with a variety of new reference 
works. 
Bibliography 
Jerusalem Post Clippings Archive. 
Prominent people, 1933-1977. Zug, Switzer-
land: Inter Documentation Co. [Poststrasse 
14, 6300 Zug], 1978. 1929 microfiche. 
SFr.6,960. 
Jewish National and University Library, 
Jerusalem. Alphabetical catalogue. Zug, 
Switzerland: Inter Documentation Company, 
1983. [3605] microfiche. 
Contents: Arabic characters. 131 micro-
fiche. [$410].-Cyrillic characters. 156 micro-
fiche. -Hebrew characters (except 
Yiddish). 631 microfiche. [$1925].-Hebrew 
characters. Yiddish. 113 microfiche. [$370].-
Latin characters. 2574 microfiche. 
Jewish National and University Library, 
Jerusalem. Systematic catalogue=Judaica 
classified card catalogue. Zug, Switzerland: 
Inter Documentation Company, 1978. 520 
microfiche. SFr. 2,607. 
Leksikon merkazi le-yisrael, 1.8.81-31.3.83. 
[Central Israeli lexicon, Aug. 1, 1981 - • March 
31, 1983.] Tel-Aviv: Lewin-Epstein-Modan 
[P.O.B.33316, 63262 Tel-Aviv], 1983. 2, 12 
microfiche. Ceased. 
Mafteah le-kitve-et be-ivrit, 1977-81 - = Index to 
Hebrew periodicals, 1977-81 - Jerusalem: 
Center for Public Libraries in Israel; Haifa: 
University of Haifa Library, 1982-
Contents: 1977-81. 8 microfiche.-1982-84. 
6 microfiche.-1985. 1 microfiche.-$110 
(1977-84). 
Katalog analiti selektivi le-ma'amarim meha-
itonut ha-yomit ha-ivrit, im mafteah kumulativi, 
1969-80 - [Analytic selective catalog of 
articles from the Hebrew daily press, with a 
cumulative index, 1969-80 - ] Tel-Hai: 
Upper Galilee Regional Council, Tel-Hai 
Regional College, Tel-Hai Regional Library 
[12210 Galil Elyon, Israel], 1981-
Contents: 1969-80. [2], 233 microfiche. 
[$205).-1981 and index 1969-1981. 234-251 
microfiche. [$77]. - 1982 and index i 969-82. 
252-275 microfiche. [$93]. - 1983 and index 
1969-83. 276-300 microfiche. [$145]. 
Union list of serials in Israel libraries (ULS-
lsrael) = Re-shimah me'uhedet she/ kitve-et be-
sifriyot yisrael (RAMKI). Jerusalem: Standing 
Committee of the National and University 
Libraries, Jewish National and University 
Library [P.O.8. 503, Jerusalem], 1985. 
41 microfiche, [$35]. Updated cumulations 
published periodically. 
Libby Kahane is Head of the Reference 
Department of the Jewish National and 
University Library in Jerusalem. 
Judaica Librarianship Vol.1 No. 2 Spring 1984 109 


English

Israel Reference Works on Microfiche

Abramowicz, Dina

Yiddish Acquisition: The YIVO Experience

Posner, Marcia W.

HOUSES OF THE BOOK 
A Library Grows in Boro Park: The Jewish Youth Library 
INTRODUCTION 
The increased availability of popular 
Judaica in English as well as children's 
literature with Jewish content may be two 
factors accounting for the recent prolifera-
tion of small, non-academic libraries of 
Judaica. We are familiar with Judaica 
libraries in synagogues, Jewish com-
munity centers, and Jewish schools, but 
the Jewish Youth Library is in a category of 
its own. The Orthodox community of Baro 
Park (Brooklyn, New York), with its own 
criteria for popular Judaica, and a body of 
prolific authors and publishers who 
publish appropriate material, has derived 
its own solution to the problem of getting 
Jewish literature with traditional values to 
readers from the Orthodox community. 
Instead of each synagogue setting up its 
own library, a central, independent, Jewish 
lending-library has been established in 
Baro Park. 
History 
The effort to establish an Orthodox lending 
library began in January, 1978, when a 
retired business executive, Mr. Abraham 
Plotzker, and a young Talmudic student, 
(now Rabbi) Yitzchok Ginsberg (Executive 
Director of the Library), started a telephone 
campaign to raise funds for the project 
both had dreamed about. With only a 
rented office and a phone, Rabbi Ginsberg 
and a small staff, contacted every house-
hold in Baro Park, proceeding street by 
street. In addition to the fund raising efforts, 
Rabbi Ginsberg and Mrs. Blima Young, 
head librarian, visited school libraries and 
Jewish bookstores to see what young 
people were reading. They sent for pub-
lishers' catalogs and invited donations of 
materials from the community. One 
Williamsburg resident called the library to 
say that he had a basement full of Yiddish 
books and magazines. Rabbi Ginsberg 
installed lights in the basement and spent 
hours combing through piles of material. 
His diligence resulted in a treasure: eight 
volumes of Dos Yidishe Kval, a Yiddish 
children's magazine. "Not every acquisi-
tions department would do that," he said. 
Marcia W. Posner 
Growth of the Library 
Six months after the inception of the 
- campaign, the library leased an eight-room 
apartment at 1353-51st Street. Within two 
years of opening to the public, the library 
had more than 10,000 books and periodi-
cals, a staff of six and over 3000 members. 
Currently, the library has more than 16,000 
circulating titles-3,000 volumes of which 
are juvenile literature. The staff now 
numbers seventeen, under the profes-
sional supervision of Mrs. Blima Young. 
Currently, over 6,000 cardholders make 
tens of thousands of visits annually. In a 
normal week, between 500 and 1000 
readers (not necessarily card holders) visit 
the library, many from places other than 
New York or even the United States. 
The Collection and its Users 
Although the library is still called The 
Jewish Youth Library, adult readers are 
welcome and served by multiple sets of 
popular reference works. The Me'Am Loez 
Torah Anthology and ArtScroll publica-
tions are available, as well as books of 
Jewish ethics, Hashkafah, and the 
T'shuvah movement. There are books on 
Tanakh, Liturgy, and Mussar, Halakhah, 
Hashkafah, translations of the Mishnah, 
Biblical commentaries, Jewish history, 
Jewish life, and Jewish personalities. 
Educators have also found the library 
useful. The library acquires all relevant 
material in three languages: Yiddish, 
English, and Hebrew. Multiple copies are 
acquired of popular titles-at times as 
many as thirty. 
The children's collection includes books in 
the above subject areas adapted for 
children, as well as junior novels, short 
story collections, picture-books and 
children's magazines. School visits are 
scheduled regularly. Children from 
primary grades are treated to a story-hour. 
Older children use the time to familiarize 
themselves with the collection. During the 
visit, students are permitted to register as 
members, which enables them to borrow 
books on a regular basis. Students from 
intermediate grades-junior and senior 
high school-depend on the library's 
collection for completing homework 
assignments, in addition to pursuing 
personal reading interests. 
A collection of nearly 30Jewish,periodicals 
and journals in over 1,000 bound volumes 
is a notable feature of the library. It includes 
both current and out-of-print periodicals. 
The library solicits back issues of 
periodicals from the general public to 
complete its holdings. At the present time, 
it is seeking back copies of: The Jewish 
Observer, Olomeinu, Jewish Woman's 
Outlook, Talks and Tales, and others. 
Those interested in donating back issues 
may call the library at (718) 435-4711 
during the day, or (718) 435-4111 evenings. 
The library also subscribes to current 
periodicals in Yiddish, English and 
Hebrew. 
The library has acquired cassettes of Oaf 
Yomi, Torah shiurim, and liturgy. It plans to 
establish a circulating collection and an in-
1 i bra ry listening Genter with audio 
headsets. Also planned for the future are a 
"bookmobile" and an extensive reference 
collection. 
The J,wish Youth Library has published a 
bibliography of its English language 
holdings. More than 750 titles are grouped 
into twenty-five broad .. subject categories 
and subdivided by age levels: Easy, 
Juvenile, and Adult. Among the categories 
are: Arts & Crafts, Calendars, Literature, 
and Mishnah. Also included is a list of over 
fifty publishers, dealers, and distributors of 
Judaica. The Bibliography, which is now 
sold out, was compiled by Mrs. Young, and 
will be updated and re-issued in the future. 
Organization and Administration 
Mrs. Young reports that she has reworked 
existing cataloging systems because of 
the uniqueness of the collection. It uses a 
decimal notation and cuttering system 
geared to a Torah-true collection or library. 
The library has plans to publish the 
classification system. 
Judaica Librarianship Vol. 1 No. 2 Spring 1984 97 
98 Judaica Librarianship Vol. 1 No. 2 Spring 1984 
The library is open a total of 30 hours a 
week, except for July and August. There 
are late evening hours during the week for 
working people who wish to avoid the long 
lines on Fridays and Sundays. Three books 
are allowed out per borrower card. Al-
though books may be borrowed for a 
period of up to three weeks, since books 
are always due back on Sunday, those 
borrowed midweek circulate for a shorter 
period. Only immediate members of the 
family may share library cards. Initial card 
fees include a registration fee of $10.00 for 
adults (16 years and up), plus $10.00 
annual dues. Children's fees are a registra-
tion fee of $10.00 and $8.00 annual dues. A 
charge of 15<1: is levied for reserved books, 
which includes the notification postcard, 
and a fee of 10¢ per day is charged for 
overdues. Despite these fees, the library is 
forced to do extensive grass roots fund-
raising to cover its yearly budget of 
$125,000. Although the public may use the 
Ii brary for reference purposes without 
paying a fee, borrowing is restricted to 
cardholders. There is no geographic 
requirement for membership. Many 
members hail from nearby communities 
such as Flatbush and Williamsburgh, as 
well as from as far away as Rockland 
County, N. Y. and Lakewood, N.J. 
Outreach 
News of the library's success has spread 
across the nation, to Canada, and even to 
Europe. Jewish community leaders in 
Michigan, Ohio, California, Maryland, 
Florida, and even Manchester, England 
have asked Rabbi Ginsberg to set up 
branches of the Jewish Youth Library in 
their towns. Rabbi Ginsberg says that the 
library has made Jewish community 
leaders realize that "just as every Jewish 
community needs a day school, a mikveh 
and a kosher butcher to function properly, 
it also needs a library-a place where Jews 
can read .about their Torah, culture and 
history." He points· out that the Jewish 
': . . every Jewish com-
munity . . . needs a 
library-a place where 
Jews can. read about 
their Torah, culture and 
history." 
Youth Library can assist in the d~velop-
ment of similar libraries by providing books 
and booklists tailored to the needs of a 
community. "One community might want 
to emphasize Biblical commentary, 
another-history." An example of such an 
"outreach" effort is the establishment of its 
first branch, the Outremont Avenue Jewish 
Youth Library in Montreal, Canada, which 
was opened in September, 1980. A 
"package" of 2500 basic books was 
processed and cataloged at the Soro Park 
headquarters. Rabbi Ginsberg even 
supervised the printing of the Outremont 
Avenue JYL borrower cards. 
Plans for the Future 
Success brings its headaches. The 
'apartment library' is bursting. Bookshelves 
crowd the hallways. The processing rooms 
are jammed. A potentially dangerous 
situation exists on Sundays when 
hundreds of people must be served in a 
fi\fe-hour period. Lately, requests for out-
of-town class visits have been turned down 
because of lack of space. "In other words," 
says Rabbi Ginsberg, "we must find other 
quarters. We need at least $250,000 to 
purchase and renovate a building for 
library use. We serve the entire Jewish 
community of Boro Park. Now that we're 
established, we can help other Jewish 
communities establish their own libraries." 
The Jewish Youth Library is at 1353-51 
Street, Brooklyn, New York, 11219, (718) 
435-4711. 
Judaica Librarianship Vol. 1 No. 2 Spring 1984 99 


A Library Grows in Boro Park: the Jewish Youth Library

The Golem in Art: an lnterview with Beverly Brodsky, Creator of her own Golem

Zipin, Amnon

Romanized Hebrew Script in the Online Catalog at the Ohio State University Libraries

Association of Jewish Libraries

Back Matter

Barancik, Sue

CHILDREN'S LITERATURE 
Association of Jewish. Libraries Book Award for Children's Literature* 
Sue Baranclk 
It is my pleasure to present once again the 
AJL Book Awards for the best children's 
books of the year. The field of Jewish child-
ren's literature continues to grow in quality 
and quantity, making the task and 
rC;)Sponsibility of our committee reward-
ingly difficult. During the past year we -
reviewed thirty books: some excellent, 
others less so. We became so enmeshed in 
Voyage by ~dele Geras, that along with the 
Jewish immigrants making the Atlantic 
crossing to America, we reviewers felt 
seasick. We sympathized with little Molly 
in Molly's Pilgrim by Barbara Cohen when 
she tries to explain· an American Thanks-
giving to her immigrant mother. We were 
numbed by Gloria Miklowitz's Close to the 
Edge where a young and beautiful Jewish 
teenager who seemingly has everything, 
finds life so e1mpty that she contemplates 
suicide. We cried over the photographs of 
children caught in the Holocaust and 
Chana Abells' strikingly simple text in The 
Children We Remember. We learned from 
Malka Drucker's Shabbat: A Peaceful 
Island and Miriam Chaikin's Make Noise, 
Make Merry: The Story of Purim. We 
admired both the art and innovative 
Jewish Children's Books 
Too Good To Miss: 
Selected Ust of 1983 Contenders 
ASSOCIATION OF JEWISH LIBRARIES 
BOOK AWARD COMMITTEE 
I. For the YoungNt - Early Elementary Grad• 
Abells, Chana The Children we Remember. Kar-Ben. 
Photographs of children enduring the Holocaust 
coupled with simple text A ''first" book about the 
Hol~ust. 
Cohen, Barbara Molly's Pilgrim. Lothrop. A delightful 
picture book story of a small Jewish Immigrant child's 
first experience with an American Thanksgiving. 
Garfield, Leon. The Writing on the Wall. ·livtlllam 
Morrow. A beautifully Illustrated interpretation of the 
Book of Danlel. 
Ginsburg, Marvell. The Tattooed Torah. UAHC. A true 
account of the seizure of Torahs by Nazis retold in an 
easy-to-read story. 
Medoff, Francine. The Mouse in the Matzsh Factory. 
Kar-Ben. A tiny mouse witnesses the making of 
matzah. 
Temple Adath B'nai Israel 
Evansville, IN 
adaptation of the Daniel story in Leon 
Garfield and Michael Bragg's The Writing 
on the Wall. We laughed over-Ike's latest 
problems in Ike and Mama and Trouble at 
School by Carol Snyder, and devoured the 
pages of activities, stories and information 
in The Jewish Kids Catalog by Chaya 
Burstein. These and our other favorites are 
listed at the end of this article. 
The committee noticed the increased 
number of submissions from small Jewish 
presses and self-published authors. 
Although neither their physical format nor 
literary quality measures up to the books 
chosen for our list, we are encouraged by 
their efforts. Several editors from these 
small, traditional houses reported to me in 
our phone conversations that they were 
trying to improve the quality of their 
publications, and I am sure they will. 
The fact that both of our award books 
come from Jewish publishing houses this 
year, rather than from trade houses as in 
past years, is another sign of the improving 
quality of Judaic presses. -Bubby, Me, and 
Memories by Barbara Pomerantz, 
published by the UAHC (Union of 
*Pomerantz, Barbara. Bubby, Me, and Memories. 
UAHC. Our award winner, this photoessaydellcately 
explores the love between grandchild and grand-
parent, even after the grandmother's death. 
• Sofer, Barbara Holiday Ac/Ventures of Achbar. Kar-
Ben. Short chapters center on the Jewish holidays 
and a resourceful mouse detective. 
II. For lllllddle Graden - Gl8dN 3-6 
. Burstein, Chaya. Jewish Kids Catalog. JPS. A com-
pendium of stories, activities, history, -penpals, book 
lists, and crafts. 
Chaikin, Miriam. How Yossi Beat the Evil Urge. Harper 
& Row. Daydreaming Is the big problem faced by a 
contemporary Hasidlc boy. Good insights Into 
Hasidic customs. 
Chalkln, Miriam. Make Noise, Make Merry: The Story 
of Purim. Clarion. The history and customs of Purim • 
charmingly explained. 
Drucker, Malka. Shabbat: A Peaceful Island. Holiday 
House. A welcome addition to her holiday series. 
Naylor, Phyllis. The Solomon System. Atheneum. The 
once happy home life of two brothers comes to an 
abrupt end when their parents decide to divorce. 
Snyder, Carol. Ike and Mama and Trouble at School. 
Coward-Mccann. Ike finds himself in lots of hot 
water In this fourth book of the nostalgic series. 
Sussman, Susan. There's No Such Thing as a Chanu-
kah Bush, Sandy Goldstein. Albert Whitman. The 
American Hebrew Congregations), is a 
departure from the curriculum-oriented 
books associated with this house; while 
publication of In the Mouth of the Wolf by 
Rose za_r by JPS (The Jewish Publication 
Society of America) represents a 
continuation of the fine juvenile book 
publishing of that house under the 
guidance of children's book editor, David 
Adler. We salute these two publishers and 
, wish them much success in the future. 
While we are saluting . . . there is a 
children's book author familiar to all of us, 
Sadie Rose Weilerstein, author of many 
books, notably the famous K'tonton series. 
Mrs. Weilerstein celebrates her ninetieth 
birthday this July, 1984, and the 
Association of Jewish Libraries is sending 
her a special certificate to mark the 
occasion. 
*Remarks ,:nade at the Banquet of the 19th 
Annual Convention of the Association of 
Jewish Libraries held in Atlanta, Georgia, 
June 26, 1984, where awards were granted 
for the best children's picture book and the 
best book for older children. 
Christmas-Chanukah conflict is resolved in a low-
key family story. 
Ill. For Young Adulfl • GntdN 7-10 
Geras, Adele. Voyage. Atheneum. Anticipation of 
America on the Atlantic crossing by old and young 
is described in a finely crafted novel. 
Marzollo, Jean. Do You Love Me, Harvey Burns? Dial. 
A Jewish boy creates problems of antl-8emitism. 
Mlklowltz, Gloria. Close to the Edge. Delacorte. A pretty, 
smart, rich, popular girt thinks about committing 
suicide until she experiences a change in values. 
Schotter, Ront.-. Northern Fried Chicken. Philomel. 
The Jewish • involvement in the Black Civil Rights 
Movement of the 1960s is the focus of this novel. 
Siegel, Beatrice. U/1/an Wald of Henry Street, Mac-
millan. A well-researched, reveallngbiographyofthe 
famous settlement house·nurse. 
*ZN, Rose. In the Mouth of the Wolf. JPS. Our award 
winner is a personal narrative of the author's success-
ful attempts to survive during the Holocaust. 
Sue Barancik is librarian at Temple Adath 
B'nai Israel, Evansville, IN, and a profes-
sional storyteller traveling to locations 
ranging from nursery schools to nursing 
homes. 
Judalca Librarianship Vol. 1 No. 2 Spring 1984 81 


Jewish Childrens Books Too Good To Miss

Pomerantz, Barbara

Zar, Rose

AJL Book Award Acceptance Speeches 
Barbara Pomerantz 
Introduction by 
Sue Baranclk 
A child's initial encounter with death is 
usually a result of the death of a pet or an 
elderly relative. Death is a difficult concept 
for the child to comprehend, especially in 
this day of television where actors. who are 
killed in one program reappear alive on 
another. The child wonders: will the dead 
person return later; is death sleep? What 
does "passed away" mean? What is 
heaven? What does "buried" mean? Can a_ 
secret destructive wish, a withheld kiss, or 
an angry "I wish you were dead!' cause 
someone's death? 
Barbara Pomerantz worked as a director of 
a day care center and as an early childhood 
educator in a Chicago suburb. She had 
been asked many times by anxious parents 
for ways to explain death to their children. 
The book Bubby, Me and Memories is her 
response. she and photographer Leon 
Lurie captured the love between grand-
mother and granddaughter. 
Mrs. Pomerantz and her family made aliyah 
to Israel in January, 1984; thus she could 
not come to accept this award (or the 
award granted to her by Present Tense 
magazine) in person. Accepting for her is 
Stuart Banick, Director of Publications, 
UAHC. Mrs. Pomerantz's acceptance 
speech acknowledging the AJL book 
award for the best picture book follows: 
Remarks by Barbara Pomerantz 
Some readers think that Bubby, Me and 
Memories is a book about death. But, in 
fact, it is a book which· is meant to reaffirm 
the beauty of life. Through the relationship 
between a young girl and her grandmother, 
the thesis is communicated - our im-
mortality is assured through the memories 
we build and in the people we touch during 
our lifetime. It is my hope that the book will 
provide parents with a guide when their 
children ask about that inevitable fact of life 
we call death. It is also my hope that 
Bubby, Me and Memories will help adults 
understand that children are not immune 
from feeling deep grief. Pushing them 
away, no matter how gently, does not 
protect them from mourning. Letting them 
see us cry does not make them think less of 
us. Children need to be comforted, and 
they need permission to comfort us. 
For young readers, perhaps Bubby, Me 
and Memories will conjure remembrances 
of times spent with favorite people. 
(continued in next column) 
Rose Zar 
Introduction by 
Sue Baranclk 
Our next honoree, Rose Zar, is a survivor 
of the Holocaust. She survived- because 
of her keen intelligence, wits, sheet 
nerve and luck. Fortunately, her child-
hood sweetheart Meyer survived as well. 
They were reunited after the war and 
became involved in rescue attempts to 
spirit children out of Poland and into 
Israel. In 1951 after immigrating to 
America, they moved to South Bend, 
Indiana, and Rose attained a degree in 
special education from Indiana Uni-
versity. In addition to being a wife, 
mother, and grandmother, Rosp is a 
teacher of the mentally retarded and has 
been a Hebrew School teacher and 
principal at the Sinai Synagogue for the 
past thirty years. It is my pleasure to 
welcome to the podium Rose Zar, author 
of In the Mouth of the Wolf, the winner 
of the AJL Book Award for Children's 
Literature,. an absorbing account of her 
experiences during the Holocaust. 
Remarks by Rose Zar 
I am extremely honored and delighted to 
accept this award from the Association 
of Jewish Libraries. The German poet, 
Heinrich Heine, said that. ''A book is like 
(continued in next column) 
Barbara Pomerantz (continued) 
Perhaps it will help them know that life is 
very precious. Hopefully, it will ignite the 
spark for discussions at home and in the 
classroom so that questions and fears 
about death will no longer be sublimated, 
for it is when the deepest human emotions 
finally surface and are openly shared, that 
our young people will confront their future 
with greater self-esteem, insights, and 
compassion. 
I consider it a great privilege to be able to 
contribute to Jewish literature. Our young 
people need to be reassured that their lives 
have significance within the Jewish 
context. That goal can be approached 
when readers see themselves in pages that 
communicate Jewish themes, characters 
and ideals. 
My thanks to Leon Lurie for his beautiful 
photographs, the Union of American 
Hebrew Congregations for encourage-
ment and support, and finally, to the 
Association of Jewish Libraries for this 
recognition. 
82 Judaica Librarianship Vol.1 No. 2 Spring 1984 
a child and needs time to be born. A 
respectable woman doesn't bring a child 
into the world before the ninth month." 
This book is the product of four years' 
labor and is the true account of my 
adolescence during the years of Hitler's 
genocidal regime. While the story of my 
escape has made for the interesting 
book you so kindly honor here tonight, 
the recollection of these events was 
often painful and agonizing. 
My rem.embrances of the past brought 
me back to the Polish city of Piotrkow in 
which I was born and raised. When in 
1942, the Germans started the deporta-
tion of my city's Jewish population, I was 
able to escape from the ghetto. With the 
aid ofa false identity card stating that I 
was an Aryan named Wanda Gadja, I 
was able to live as a Roman Catholic 
among the Polish population of Krakow. 
My first year under an assumed identity 
was the most treacherous. The Poles 
were extremely anti-Semitic and 
zealously aided the Germans in ferreting 
out hidden Jews. To preserve my 
anonymity, I had to stay on the run, 
living without family or friends, and 
changing jobs and addresi,es ·constantly. I 
watched with seeming indifference as 
Torah scrolls were made into boot linings. I 
had to escape from the house of a drunken 
boss whose amorous advances I refused to 
satisfy. I had to abandon my intellectual 
and religious sensibilities and adapt myself 
to the cruel and vulgar society within which 
I was living. 
By 1943, I was able to achieve a measure of 
safety and insure my survival in the most 
ironic way. I secured a position as a potato 
peeler in an SS kitchen in Krakow, and 
thereafter became a nanny and nursemaid 
living in the household of the SS 
Commandant. Although I was not totally 
free from danger, by living in the "mouth of 
the wolf/' I had removed from my 
shoulders much of the burden of suspicion 
and was spared the worries of "daily 
bread." As a fugitive, all my energies were 
concentrated on survival, but with the 
change in my living. arrangement as a 
nanny, my life once again assumed regular 
patterns, which we take so much for 
granted in peacetime. The only links to my 
past were my memories, feelings, and 
occasional letters through the under-
ground from the ghetto. In the new sur-
roundings, a need emerged to keep in 
touch with my other life that had ended so 
abruptly. This could only be achieved 
through reading, that I now felt a desire and 
need for. 
Rose Zar (continued) 
The first book I checked out of the library 
was an American novel translated into 
Polish shortly before the war, Przeminelo z 
Wiatrem, known as Gone with the Wind. It 
was the story of a strong young woman, set 
in a country to which I had never been. 
However, as I read the book, I understood 
the poignancy of this story of the des-
truction of the South and its implications 
for my own situation. Through the eyes of 
Scarlett O'Hara, I learned about the 
decimation of a society and its lifestyle, the 
death of family and friends, and the will to 
persevere and rebuild. I realized that the 
world from which I had come was 
irrevocably destroyed, that I had to survive, 
and that as I had promised my father, I had 
to tell the story to future generations. 
When I sat down to write In the Mouth of 
the Wolf, I had two objectives in mind. The 
first and obvious one was to retell the story 
of the Holocaust. There are many history 
books that outline the facts and events of 
World War 11 more chronologically than 
this book. However, numbers and dates 
carry with them a certain sterility. pnly 
through personal accounts like this do 
people understand why war is so awful and 
genocide so abhorrent. Only through 
personal accounts can the legacy of the 
past be kindled in the consciousness of the 
present generation. 
Secondly, I wrote this book with the aim of 
instilling in my young readers a sense of 
honor and strength. The modern American 
Jewish adolescent is faced" with_ very 
serious problems of human self-respect, of 
honor, of sexual responsibility and of 
religious commitment. I hope that in telling 
my wartime experiences as a young girl, I 
may be able to guide my young readers in 
their moments of difficulty in otherwise 
peaceful lives. I hope that my moments of 
courage will provide an example for them 
and- help them live steadfastly as Jewish 
men and women. I also hope that the non-
Jewish reader finds my story equally valid, 
and will arrive at the conclusion that the 
lesson of the Holocaust has not only 
Jewish but universal implications and 
consequences. 
Although one should never be so naive as 
to expect literature to prevent personal 
problems, war or genocide, one should 
never underestimate the power of literature 
to provide strength and guidance. Who, 
after all, would have thought that Margaret 
Mitchell's story about a Southern her·oine 
would have helped a young Jewish girl 
from Poland to survive the Nazi genocide. 
And who would have thought that this 
young girl from Poland would come to 
Atlanta as a mature woman to accept this 
award from you tonight. I thank you one 
and all. 
THE CHOSEN BOOK 
Recently Published Acquisition Tools 
Edith Lubetski 
Stern College 
New York, N. Y. 
This column lists new and recently pub-
lished materials that may be useful as ac-
quisition tools. If you are aware of anything 
that falls into this category, kindly send a 
brief notice to: 
Prof. Edith Lubetski 
Hedi Steinberg Library 
Stern College for Women 
245 Lexington Avenue 
New York, NY 10016 
Antiquarian Material 
AB Bookman's Weekly (Formerly: Anti-
quarian Bookman) 1948- . Special 
Judaica Issue, March 26, 1984. Single 
copy $5.00. 
This is the second issue devoted specifi-
cally to Judaica. The first (dated April 18, . 
1983) met with such an enthusiastic re-
sponse that the editors plan to make this an 
annual event. 
The main thrust of the pamphlet is anti-
quarian material, although it does include 
some material on new and recent books. It 
is divided into three parts: 1) articles; 2) 
books for sale; 3) books wanted. The 
books for sale include a large number of 
books of Jewish interest, while there are 
only a few in the "want lists." A useful 
feature of this pamphlet is the inclusion of 
the names and addresses of antiquarian 
dealers that handle Judaica. The issue 
affords the librarian an opportunity to be-
come aware of antiquarian dealers special-
izing in Judaica, as well as of general 
dealers who have ventured into this field. 
Further, it provides libraries with a vehicle 
for publishing their own want ads-for a 
price. 
The articles, which are interesting and 
illuminating, cover a variety of topics: a 
survey of recent scholarly Judaica; the 
history and. development of Hebrew 
calligraphy and typography; the Judaica 
auction market; parchment used by the 
Jewish Scribe; and book reviews (new and 
recent books). 
This is an important tool for university and 
research libraries of Judaica. 
Bookstore Catalog 
Steimatzky Agency of North America 
56 East 11th Street 
New York, New York 10003 
Steimatzky bookstore is a name well 
known in Israel; and now, Steimatzky has 
come to New York, more specifically, to 
Greenwich Village. The store sells Hebrew 
and English books published in Israel on all 
topics. It issues a catalog of Hebrew titles, 
as well as a catalog of English materials. 
The books listed in Hebrew are, for the 
most part, general in nature, although there 
is a minority of titles of Jewish interest. 
There is a great deal of literature in Hebrew 
for children and young adults. The English 
material is more of Judaic interest. The 
store advertises that it has over .1,500 titles 
in stock. Anything in stock is available 
immediately; otherwise there is a two-week 
wait for books, which are shipped from 
Israel via air mail. 
[See a related letter and response from 
Edith Lubetski in the Commentaries 
section of this issue - Eds. ] 
Juvenile Bibliography 
Schram, Peninnah, Eeyore's Books of 
Jewish Interest for Children. New York: 
Eeyore's Books for Children (2252 
Broadway, New York, NY 10024), 1983. 
$2.00 
This is a bookstore catalog. Ordinarily, we 
would assume that as such it would be 
merely a list of titles with descriptive blurbs, 
but it is much more. Arranged by subject 
categories, and graded by age, this is a bib-
liography of in:.print books and recordings 
annotated by a professional storyteller 
(who is also an Assistant Professor of 
Speech and Drama at Stern College for 
Women, Yeshiva University). Each subject 
section begins with a short introduction. A 
very useful aid in selecting children's 
books for a library. 
Judaica Librarianship Vol.1 No. 2 Spring 1984 83 


AJL Book Award Acceptance Speeches

Nussbaum, Esther

DAY SCHOOL LIBRARIES 
The Library as Part of the Accreditation Review 
of a Yeshiva High School 
The Accreditation Process 
"How'm I doing?" The folksy words of 
Ed Koch, Mayor of New York City, capture 
the essence of the evaluation procedure 
of the Middle States Association of 
Colleges and Secondary Schools which 
was carried out in the Ramaz Upper 
School (Grades 7-12) during the 
academic year 1982-83. In large academic 
organizations, there are usually pro-
cedures for evaluation of facilities, faculty 
and services. In the Yeshiva high school 
arena, however, evaluation has generally 
been haphazard when attempted from 
within, and even resented. The "reputation" 
of a Yeshiva is generally based upon its 
religious position and the competence 
and/or charismatic qualities of its 
principal. 
Twenty years ago, Ramaz, a modern 
Orthodox day school committed to 
quality education in both religious and 
general studies, and to the integration of 
both to the extent possible, elected to 
undergo the rigorous procedure of 
evaluation by the Co_mmission on 
Secondary Schools of the Middle States 
Association. According to the Com-
mission's bulletin, "voluntary accredita-
tion has been recognized through the 
years as the catalyst that helped colleges 
and secondary schools maintain at least 
minimum levels of quality in their 
performance." 
Membership in the Association, first 
established for colleges, was extended to 
include secondary schools in 1920, and is 
attained as a result- of accreditation. 
Considered a significant achievement, 
accreditation "certifies that a school has 
met prescribed qualitative standards in 
terms of its own stated philosophy." 
Needless to say, the uniqueness of a 
Yeshiva may raise the question of how 
relevant or productive such an evaluation 
can be when the Association's experi-
ence is almost exclusively with public 
and non-denominational private schools. 
. Utilizing elaborate evaluative criteria in 
Esther Nussbaum 
Ramaz Upper School 
New York, NY 
order to assess the quality of a school, the 
As$ociation's representatives focus on its 
every aspect-including such topics as 
school and community, philosophy and 
objectives, curriculum, school facilities, 
LEARNING MEDIA SERVICES (a.k.a. 
Library ... ), student activities program, 
school staff, and administration. 
"In order to be accredited ... a secondary 
school· must convince the commission 
that it has met approved standards." 
Since there are no standards for dual 
curricula, it is perfectly acceptable to the 
Commission for the statements in the 
Evaluative Criteria reports to be adapted 
for the individual school in terms of its 
own educational goals. Obviously, this is 
the only way the procedure could be 
applicable to a Yeshiva. Each institution is 
accredited on its own merits, and not in 
comparison with other institutions. 
"Inherent possibilities" in a school are the 
concern of the accreditation process. 
This phrase inspired the faculty and 
administration of Ramaz to study, 
appraise, criticize, and contemplate the 
goals of the school, and how and whether 
they are being met. These questions 
were addressed in a demanding series of 
meetings and con.f.ereAces treld in 
preparation for the on-site visit of the 
representatives of the Association. At the 
very beginning of the school year, 
planning meetings were held in which 
faculty, administration members and 
parent representatives were assigned to 
various committees. These, in turn, 
scheduled a minimum of six hour-long 
meetings to examine each of the criteria 
in detail. The meetings resulted in the 
assignment of rating values ranging from 
poor to excellent, and including the 
possibilities of "Not Applicable" and 
"Missing but Needed." 
While elaboration of the criteria of all 
topics could no doubt be instructive, the 
discussion here will be limited to the 
evaluation of the LEARNING MEDIA 
SERVICES (a.k.a. Library ... ) and the 
administrative method set up to prepare 
92 Judaica Librarianship Vol. 1 No. 2 Spring 1984 
the reports in as unbiased a manner as 
possible. 
The Library Evaluation Process 
The library committee consisted of the 
Librarian, the Associate Librarian, and 
teachers of English and History, Bible 
and Computer. Thus the disciplines of 
the Humanities, Social Studies, Sciences, 
and Judaic Studies were all represented. 
(The librarian also served on two other 
committees.) Each committee member 
was given a 15 page booklet which 
included a statement of the Guiding 
Principles, and seven sections of 
Evaluative Criteria. An outline of the 
criteria follows: 
I. Organization and Management 
A. Financial Provisions 
B. Selection of Materials and Equip-
ment for Acquisition 
C. Classifying, Cataloging and 
Processing of Materials and 
Equipment 
D. Accessibility of Educational 
Media 
E. Maintenance of Collection 
II. Facilities 
A. Environment 
B. Furnishings 
C. Equipment 
Ill. Resources 
IV. Media Personnel 
V. Media Program 
VI. Special Characteristics of the 
Learning Media Services 
VI I. General Evaluation 
There was a checklist of very specific 
statements for each broad area, followed 
by a series of questions which required a 
choice of ratings. Narrative comment was 
encouraged on the checklist and evalu-
ation form. Questions designed to elicit 
supplementary data were also included. 
Under "Selection of Materials," for 
example, we were asked to respond to 
questions on whether a written Materials 
Selection Policy had been developed with 
input from administrators, faculty, 
students, community members and the 
board. Had it been approved by 
appropriate authorities? We were also 
asked whether appropriate subject 
materials are considered for acquisition 
regardless of form. Were specific criteria 
applied to the selection of all materials? 
Questions on factors considered in the 
selection of media focused on: the edu-
cational goals of the curriculum, content 
of the curriculum, learning styles, 
personal interests, instructional methods, 
review of existing resources, and 
materials that contribute and support 
efforts toward multi-cultural, multiracial 
education. 
Under the rubric "Supplementary Data," 
the committee was asked to describe the 
process for selection of materials and 
equipment, to list the criteria employed in 
evaluation, to list and describe the 
evaluative tools, to describe the co-
operative activities engaged in by the 
school and community agencies, and to 
attach a copy of the Materials Selection 
Policy. 
Evaluation questions concentrated on the 
adequacy and effectiveness of these 
policies and procedures. 
The above are sample questions from 
only one of the sub-sections of the outline 
on which the committee worked. There 
was a certain repetitiousness to the 
questions, but somehow this assured that 
no question would be glossed over; that 
each question would be discussed, 
considered, and evaluated conscientiously 
and deliberately. The library personnel 
were particularly gratified by the 
opportunity to meet with other faculty for 
such a concentrated effort. The self-
examination required of the staff, which 
consisted of a head librarian, an associate 
librarian, and a clerk, was tedious and 
time-consuming. Inventories were 
described and categorized, utilization of 
-resources analyzed, circulation and 
budget figures meticulously presented-
all in preparation for the final report. 
The Final Report 
A document was prepared and presented 
to the entire faculty in one of the four-hour 
sessions that were scheduled at regular 
intervals preliminary to the arrival of 
Middle States. The entire faculty was thus 
given an opportunity to question or 
comment on the report, and to raise other 
relevant issues. It should be noted that the 
librarians were usually more critical of the 
library's performance level than their non-
library colleagues, and that they tended to 
rate each operation lower on the given 
scale than faculty did ... (At a preliminary 
session the administration had advised 
against being unduly harsh; while our 
standards represented the ideal, the 
reality of Ramaz was closer to this ideal 
than we believed.) 
The Middle States Association stressed 
the significance of the school's response 
to its earlier recommendations. Indeed, in 
reviewing the accreditation report on the 
Ii brary of ten years before, it was 
immediately apparent that the school had 
acted to correct the deficiencies which 
the accreditation committee had 
identified. At that time the physical 
- facilities had been noted to be over-
crowded, and the resources lacked any 
non-print materials. l,n the ten intervening 
years, a new building was built with a 
bright, well-furbished library; the library 
had also become a multi-media center. 
Filmstrips, audio-cassettes, recordings, 
and the necessary hardware were part of 
the library resources. 16mm film 
projectors are a mainstay of the library's 
equipment, as the librarians are 
responsible for all audio-visual program-
ming. These were concrete evidence of 
the school's response to the recom-
mendations. 
The Accreditation Visit 
The on-site visit which brought nineteen 
people to our school for four days of 
intense scrutiny and interviews proved an 
interesting experience. Evaluators of 
Judaic Studies were recruited by the 
Association from schools in Philadelphia, 
Washington, D.C., and New York. 
Evaluators of secular studies were pro-
fessionals from private and public institu-
tions, some with administrative experience 
and others with classroom experience 
only. The library evaluators were, for 
better or for worse, not librarians, but 
supervisors responsible for the library in 
their schools. The Committee member 
who was charged with evaluating the 
Judaic collection had no library ex-
perience, and, while familiar with much of 
the Religious Studies collection, had little 
expertise when it came to Hebrew 
Literature. Furthermore, since he was 
from a school with a much smaller-and 
more recently established-library, he 
was perhaps overimpressed with the 
library's Judaic collection. 
After several unscheduled visits during 
which the library was observed in 
operation, the librarian met with two 
members of the Committee.to discuss the 
library report. Some elucidation of 
responses was sought by the Committee 
but almost no point was contested. 
The Accreditation Report 
A laudatory oral assessment was 
delivered by the Committee chairperson, 
Daniel A. Rothermil, at the closing session 
of the visit. A written final report was 
received by the school a little more than a 
month later. 
The section on LEARNING MEDIA 
SERVICES described our facilities as 
"attractive, functional, well-utilized," and 
our staff as "dedicated, ... contributing ... 
many hours in maintaining the great 
variety of resources offered to students 
and faculty." The committee seemed 
undisturbed by the sometimes lively 
atmosphere in the library. The visitors 
emphasized in their report how impressed 
they were by the "vitality" of the student 
body. They are our greatest asset, we 
were told. 
The committee made several recom-
mendations for the improvement of the 
library which were derived in the main 
directly from our own committee report. 
The Middle States report recommended 
that a detailed budget be prepared 
annually, that greater effort be made to 
involve the students and faculty in media 
selection, and that a maintenance 
schedule be established for the replace-
ment of obsolete equipment and material. 
In addition, they recommended conduct-
ing a study to plan for the use of 
paraprofessional help in the library and to 
consider the creation of a media 
production laboratory-something that 
our staff had considered inapplicable to 
our library, given space and staff 
problems. A stronger in-service orienta-
tion for students and faculty was also 
proposed-a program which we had 
already begun to implement. 
Conclusions 
In conclusion, we feel that self-evaluation 
is a rigorous discipline with its own 
rewards. While it was gratifying to receive 
the commendations, we could not help 
but feel that the Middle States Associa-
tion of Colleges and Schools is not an 
agency that can adequately evaluate our 
dual curriculum-or the library collection 
supporting it. It remains for a Jewish 
educational agency to prepare guidelines 
for the evaluation of Jewish Studies 
programs and to establish a network of 
qualified Jewish educators who can be 
called upon to participate in the 
accreditation of secondary Jewish day 
schools and their unique libraries. 
Esther Nussbaum is Head Librarian, 
Ramaz Upper School, in New York City. 
She currently serves as Corresponding 
Secretary of the Association of Jewish 
Libraries. 
Judaica Librarianship Vol. 1 No. 2 Spring 1984 93 


The Library as Part of the Accreditation Review of a Yeshiva High School

Not a member yet